25 House Cleaning Tips from Grandma

1.Always be tidyin’.

” Don’t save all your household chores for one day. Instead clean up messes as they happen or keep a bin to toss junk in until you have the time to place it where it belongs. Doing this daily will save you time and a headache. Always be tidyin’!”- Elizabeth from Georgia, Age 79

2. Make do with less.

“I try my best to make do with less. So I snip sponges in half and I never throw away old towels. Instead I cut them up and use them as dusting or polishing rags.” –Mary from Virginia, Age 69

3. Make your own cleaning products.

“I make a window cleaner that’s better than anything you’ll find in the store. 1 cup water, vinegar, rubbing alcohol and a few drops of lemon oil and glycerine. Your windows will spotless!” –Judith from Florida, Age 88

4. Use Flour-sack towels for cleaning.

“I do not use paper towels in my household. I believe its a waste of money! Instead I buy flour-sack towels to do my cleaning. It’s worth the investment because they last a very long time.” –Dorothy from Texas, Age 63

5. Vanilla extract is perfect for deodorizing.

“Before I invite guests over, I boil a small pot of water and I add a few drops of vanilla extract to it. Sometimes I add orange peels. I leave this on the oven for a few minutes to get my entire home smelling good. Everyone thinks I’m baking all the time…nope!”- Shirley from Louisiana, Age 71

6. Always dust with a damp cloth.

“Dusting should be done with a damp cloth. Try adding a few drops of lavender oil for a pleasant scent. To use anything else, in my opinion would be a waste of time.”-Linda from Kansas, Age 57

7. Lemons are nature’s best natural cleaners.

” I love using lemon to clean. I use lemon juice to get rid of smells and to sanitize my wooden spoons and cutting boards. To polish my stainless steel kitchen sink I use a lemon half sprinkled with salt. “- Susie from California, Age 70

8. Use salt to prevent stains.

“While a stain is still fresh, pour table salt on it. It will help soak up the stain and make it easier to wash out.”-Darla from Washington, Age 64

9. Coffee grounds will help get rid of bad smells.

“I use coffee grounds in a small cup or bowl to get rid of bad smells. This works really well for the fridge and bathroom. “-Ella Mae from Tennessee, Age 82

10. Apply wax to your air vents.

“I hate dusting and try to find ways out of doing it. But I have found using a little bit of car wax on my air vents in my home will help prevent dust build up.”- Gloria from Idaho, Age 72

11. Add a few splashes of ammonia to your dishwater.

“Well, I learned this trick from my mother. But if you have glass dishes that you want to shine like new, add a few splashes of ammonia to your dishwater.”-Lucy from Wisconsin, Age 90

12. Plain, white toothpaste is a wonderful cleaner.

“Plain, white toothpaste is perfect for polishing silver. You can also use it to clean your toilet if you hate chemical smells.”- Pearl from Vermont, Age 59

13. The best way to remove stubborn stains.

“I’ve been using these tips for years to get rid of stains on my clothes. For blood stains, soak in cold salty water. If you clothes that have mildewed soak them in cold buttermilk. For ink stains, lemon juice and cream of tartar.”-Jane from South Carolina, Age 61

14. Olive oil can be used for more than cooking.

” Use olive oil with a few drops of lemon essential oil to polish your stainless steel kitchen appliances and wooden furniture.” – Mary from Arizona, Age 78

15. Clean your toilets overnight.

“Before bed, I sprinkle Borax in my toilet boil and spray white vinegar over it. In the morning, I flush and that’s it. I never have to clean my toilet.”- Paula from Oregon, Age 87

16. Use Crisco to lubricate squeaky hinges.

“Use a little bit of Crisco to oil your squeaky hinges around your home. It works wonders!”- Violet from Georgia, age 77

17. Clean your walls from top to bottom.

“I like to work my way from the top of the wall to the bottom when cleaning. This helps avoid streaks on the wall.”- Anna from Georgia, age 70

19. Remove coffee stains from ceramic mugs.

“To get rid of coffee stains in your mugs, pour salt in the bottom of the mug, lemon juice and add ice. Swish around and all stains should disappear.”- Mary from Arizona, Age 60

20. Steam dishes instead of soaking.

“If you have dish with hard to remove food on it, soaking it takes too long. Boil a pot of water and steam the dish by holding it over or placing it upside down in the pot for a few seconds.”-Ethel from Alabama, Age 66

21. Remove stains and odors from your hands with tomato juice or salt..

” You can use tomato juice or sauce. But if you have smells on your hand, say from cutting onions, rub tomato juice or sauce on your hands to get rid of the smell. Or you can rub your hand with plain salt.”-Mabel from Georgia, Age 71

22. Use shampoo to get rid of grease stains.

“Use shampoo to get rid of grease stains in your clothes and other fabrics.”- Alice from Florida, Age 79

23. Prevent mildew from growing on your shower curtain.

“When you get a shower liner. cut off the bottom 2 inches to prevent it from sticking to the tub. This helps to prevent mildew from growing behind it.”Linda from Florida, Age 65

24. The best mattress cleaner: Natural Sunlight.

“Every spring and summer, take your mattress outside and let it sit in the sunlight for a few hours to kill mold and mildew.”-Cindy from California, Age 82

25. Use a pillow case to clean your ceiling fan blades.

“When I want to clean my ceiling fan blades and not get dust everywhere, I use an old pillowcase. I simply cover the blade with the pillowcase and with a simple swipe all dust is contained.” –Martha from North Carolina, Age 69